In November, Brilliant Classics is realeasing a collection of Songs by George Antheil . Alice Lackner (mezzo soprano) and Philip Mayers (piano) present Five Songs after Adelaide Crapsey, Nine Songs of Experience, Nightpiece, Frankie and Johnny, and The Ballade of Jesse James

George Antheil (1900–1959) was an American avant-garde composer, pianist, and inventor known for his radical musical style and innovative spirit. Often dubbed the “Bad Boy of Music,” Antheil made his mark in the early 20th century with bold compositions that challenged traditional norms, combining dissonance, mechanical rhythms, and experimental instrumentation. Antheil’s songs are lesser-known yet deeply compelling.

Alice Lackner has swiftly captivated audiences in many of the world’s leading classical music stages. She worked with the Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin and its chief conductor, Vladimir Jurowski, as well as with the lautten compagney Berlin. She has performed with renowned orchestras such as the Konzerthausorchester Berlin and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, while in the field of historically informed performance, she has worked with leading baroque ensembles, including Ensemble 1700, L’Orfeo and La Banda.

Philip Mayers is an Australian pianist of great versatility, enjoying a reputation as a sought-after chamber music partner, accompanist, vocal coach, and pianist, the latter especially in the field of New Music, where he has been involved in the premières of more than one hundred new works. His concert performances have taken him to leading festivals such as Montreux, Aldeburgh, La Roque d’Anthéron, La Folle Journée (Nantes), Schleswig-Holstein and Kissinger Sommer.